People might want to look up at the skies on the 5th of June every year. That’s because they will have a pretty good chance of seeing some hot air balloons on this day. After all, this day is Hot Air Balloon Day, and it’s the perfect day for people to enjoy this historic method of aviation — either by just observing them, by going up in one as a passenger, or by even piloting one (if they have the skill).

These balloons have been used since the 17th century and are capable of not only inspiring nostalgia in people but also a sense of awe. If the weather is good and the skies are clear, then this is going to be a holiday that everyone will want to enjoy.

The History of Hot Air Balloon Day

Even though people have been flying balloons of one sort or another for thousands of years, it wasn’t until 1783 that the first recorded manned balloon flight in history was undertaken by Pilâtre de Rozier at Versailles.

This happened on September 19th of that year, and it attracted the attention of the Académie Royale des Sciences — who were so impressed that they wanted them to repeat the experiment. During this experiment, the balloon was tethered. The next attempt by the Montgolfier brothers was performed in front of Louis XVI and the royal family.

For safety reasons, they decided not to place humans in the balloon but instead decided to place a sheep, a cockerel, and a duck in the round wicker basket that was tethered to the balloon. At 1:11 p.m., the balloon rose with the animals and soared 600 meters into the sky.

However, the balloon was damaged by a rip in the fabric, so it came back to earth about 8 minutes later after traveling 3.5 kilometers. It ended up landing at the Maréchal crossroads in the Wood of Vaucresson. Fortunately, the animals survived the trip.

They were classified as “Heroes of the Air,” however, and were given a place in the Menagerie in Versailles by Louis XVI. The first man to be carried in a balloon would be a physician who attended to the animals after they landed back on earth. This man was Pilâtre de Rozier, who went up in a balloon on June 5th, 1783.

Unfortunately, we don’t know who invented the hot air balloon. We tried to do a bit of research on the subject and were unable to find anything out about it. All that we really know is that the date of this holiday falls on the date when Pilâtre de Rozier first took to the skies in a balloon created by the Montgolfier brothers.

How to Celebrate Hot Air Balloon Day

Learning more about the history of hot air balloons or taking a hot air balloon ride are great ways to celebrate. People can also watch hot air balloon events that happen all over the world or spread their love of this holiday online with the hashtag #HotAirBalloonDay.